Wages Tax Returns

Dominion, Volume 31, Issue 191, 11 May 1938, Page 13

Wages Tax Returns

Sir, —Recently I received, in common with other householders, a request from the (Minister of Labour, asking me to fill in the amount of my income. This form is attached to the unemployment return. Would you, or any of your readers, kindly let me know by what authority the Minister requests this information? I understand these returns are to be used for calculations in connection with the proposed scheme for social security. May I suggest a much easier method for the Minister to obtain this If the Government takes the amount collected through the unemployment fund—i deduct £1 for every man paying the “dole,” then multiply the number of £’s by 240. bringing this to pence—then divide thia resulting figure by 8 (being the amount of unemployment tax in the £). The figure thus arrived at will show the amount in £’s of salary, wages, and income received by the community during the last year. Surely this would supply the necessary information, and I am surprised that our acclaimed financier has not come to the aid of the Minister—solved this simple problem and avoided this unnecessary humbug. ■Sir, there are, to my knowledge, quite a number of people requiring information on this point, and will be pleased if you will let us know by what authority this return is requested.—l am, etc.. WEARY WILLIE. Khandallah, Muy 8.

[The employment division of the Department of Labour, Wellington, to which the point: raised by the writer was referred, '.stated: “The new form referred to by the writer wag provided for by Order-in-Council on April 4, 1938, and duly gazetted as part of the Employment Promotion Act Regulations. 1936, made under the Employment Promotion Act, 1936.”]